Beef carcass contest winners

Fifty-five beef carcasses were evaluated this year in the 2012 Palouse Empire Fair Beef Carcass of Merit and Premier Steer Contests.

Winning and indexing steers were announced at the awards program in October at the Palouse Empire Fairground. First place in the McIntosh-Reeves Carcass of Merit Contest was Austin Summers of LaCrosse. His name was engraved on the Joe Palumbo Memorial Traveling Trophy.

Palouse Empire Fair beef carcass winners

Second place in the Beef Carcass of Merit Contest went to Cotton Booker of Colfax, and third went to Clay Shelton of Rosalia.

Cash awards sponsored by McIntosh Angus and Bar R Cattle Company were presented to the top three places in the Carcass of Merit Contest. Twenty additional steers exhibited by Torrie Koller, Eric Nelson, John Mellor, Paige Collier, Brett Kincaid, Cole Evans, Craig Nelson, Casey Harp, Caleb Berquist, Perry Imler, Lane Moore, Lane Hannas, Matt Stubbs, Hannah Neibergs, Kenton Lyman, Nick Niehenke, Roxanne Allenbach, Brock Shelton, Ashtyn Aune and Dustin Broeckel qualified for the Carcass of Merit distinction.

Champion in the Premier Steer Contest was Sydney Berquist of LaCrosse. Her name was engraved and she received the Mark Oldenburg Memorial traveling Trophy. Receiving Reserve Champion was Torrie Koller of Pomeroy and Summers placed third.

Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative and Four Star Supply provided cash awards to the top three placings in the Premier Steer Contest. Twenty-nine additional steers qualified for the Premier Steer distinction. They were exhibited by Brett Kincaid, Caleb Berquist, Kenton Lyman, Abby McGregor, Cole Evans, Valente Reynoso-Heaton, John Mellor, Abbie Miller, Olivia Mellor, Clay Shelton, Lane Moore, Alex Whitman, Perry Imler, Dustin Broeckel, Tyler Kincaid, Craig Nelson, Nick Niehenke, Joe Faerber, Casey Harp, Lane Hannas, Paige Collier, Matt Stubbs, Madison Harder, Brock Shelton, Hannah Herrington, Hannah Neibergs, Krystal Kincaid, Logan Stanley and Ashtyn Aune.

In addition to evaluating desirable carcass characteristics, the premier steer contest also looks at average daily weight gain throughout the feeding period. McIntosh Angus Ranch - Rhod McIntosh and Bar R Cattle Company - Jerry Reeves of Pullman sponsor the Beef Carcass of Merit Contest. Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative and Four Star Supply sponsored the Premier Steer Contest.

Additional program sponsors include Whitman County Cattlemen’s Association for sponsoring the trophies and electronic ear tags; Dr. Jan Busboom, WSU Extension Meat Specialist, for grading carcasses; WSU Department of Animal Sciences for cattle support; Dan Snyder and Colfax Meats; the PEF Junior Livestock Market Sale Committee, Bob Reynolds, Palouse Empire Fair Manager and Nathan and Jessica Moore, Beef Superintendents.